Apparatus for therapeutic applications



March 31, 1925.

S. RUBEN APPARATUS FOR THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS Filed Jan. 17, 1924 an'ucmtoz xsamue/ Rube/2.

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Patented a... 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES war. RUBEN, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPABLTUB FOB- THERLPEUTIO APPLICATIONS.

Application Med January 17, m4. Serial no. ceases.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL RUBEN, citizen of the United States, and resident of New York cit in the county of New York and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Therapeutic Applications, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for therapeutic applications; and more particularly, it relates to a thera y a paratus for the application of infra re ra iations.

It has been known for centuries that radiant energy has a high therapeutic value; and it has been found that it is the infra red rays of that energy, of long wave length and high intensity that represent by farthe greater art of the value. These rays applied to dy tissue penetrate it deep and create a constructive and stimu ating warmth thereof. They are thus converte into heat and produce an hypercmia of the treated tissue, which is highly effective in restoring tissue to normal healthy condition.

One of the objects of this invention isto provide a generator of infra red rays which converts a high percentage of the applied energy into infra red radiations, and means for therapeutically applying them so as to give the patient a minimum of discomfort from the sensation of heat, thus permitting the application in greater intensity and over prolonged periods.

In the prior art, the devices most widely employed for the generation of infra red rays consist of low pressure lanps containing incandescent filaments, efiicient in the reduction of short wave length radiations 7 1n the visible spectrum, but of limited efii cienc in the radiation of tlse long wave length infra red rays, which latter pass through the silica glass walls of the lamp in minute volume only.

According to the terms of this invention, infra red rays are generated b the application of heat from a containe heating element, to the walls of a vessel composed of glass and coated exteriorly with a black material having a high thermal radiation constant, such, for instance, as deflocculated graphite, in which, at operating temperatures, no chemical or thermo-mechanical changes occur. The short wave radiations, which are in the visible spectrum and are ractically the only re s assin from the lieating element, throug t e wal s, are very largel absorbed by the black coating, there trans ormed and then radiated from its exterior surface as infra red rays of long wave length, characteristic of black body radiations. By this means infra red rays of high intensity and deep penetrating power are obtained.

One of the preferred types of generator body is com rised of a boron-silica glass tubing shape into an desired form, such, for instance, as a s ira coil, with a thermal activating unit wit in it, and its area opposite to the surface to be treated, blackened, as described, or in any other suitable manner, as b the de osition of copper which is then oxi ized. l f desired, previous to seal ing, the tube can be filled with a highly conducting gas, such as helium; A suitable heat wave re ecting surface is provided on.the side of the uncoated area of the vessel surface, from which some of the infra red rays are reflected, and a considerable volume of the heat waves radiated from the uncoated portion of the walls is reflected back to and through the vessel to the blackened surface, from which it is radiated as infra red rays. That portion of the surface to be blackened is preferably closely furrowed, to obtain a maximum radiation surface.

The heat effects generated by these radia tions at the nerve terminals at the skin surface have heretoforeprevented the intense or lon continued application of infra red rays, the distress thereby occasioned the patient, making such treatment often impracticable. I provide a means by which this oljection is overcome; that is by carrying o the heated air from the skin surface under treatment, by a cooling medium, such as a blast of air, which in no way decreases the radiant activity or the ower of penetration of these rays, and permits deep thera eutic applications without the limitations eretoforeexisting.

In order to afford a full understanding of the principles of the invention, one embodiment thereof in a specially practicable form is illustrated in the accom anying drawin s, and is hereinafter descn ed in detail or the sake of a concrete illustrative example; but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular arrangement.

In the drawings referred to,

Fig. 1 shows partly in elevation and partly in section an apparatus of this invention, Fi 2, showing the surface-blackened infra re generator element, a cross section taken at 3-3, being indicated by Fig 3.

Referring more particularly to ig. 1 1 represents a glass tube coiled in spira form, its surface being partially coated with deflocculated graphite. Within the tube is a coil of high resistance wire connected in an electrical circuit by leads 3 and'4. On the convex side of the spiral coil 1, is a reflector R, the concave surface of which is highly polished, attached to a heat insulating tube 5, the whole being mounted on stand S and angularly ad ustable at A. Blower B, is also mounted on stand S, an air outlet being at N.

In operation, as current is supplied to the heating coil within glass coil 1, the short length heat waves discharge through the walls of coil 1, to the outer or blackened surface, by which they are converted almost wholly into the long length infra red rays which radiate outwardly. A portion of the heat waves discharging through the uncoated section of the coil wall are reflected by the reflector back into the coil 1, and converted by the black surface into infra red rays. To prevent the discomforting sensation of excessive heat at the nerve terminals in the surface area upon which the rays are directed, a blast of air from blower B, is directed through nozzle N, upon that area, in this way neutralizing the sensation of heat by carrying away the heated air.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for the production of infra red rays, comprising a glass vessel having therewithin an element adapted to emit radiations of short wave lengths, a black material being in molecular contact with the surface of the wall of said vessel.

2. A therapy apparatus comprising a glass vessel having therewithin an element adapted to emit radiations of short wave lengths, and a source of infra red radiations consisting of a black material in molecular contact with the outer surface of the Wall of said vessel.

3. A therapy apparatus comprising a glass vessel having therewithin an elemen adapted to emit radiations of short wave lengths, and a coating of (leflocculated graphite u on the outer surface of said vessel, in mo ecular contact therewith.

4. A therapy ap aratus comprising a glass vessel having t adapted to emit radiations of short wave lengths and a coating of black material upon the outer surface of said vessel, in molecular contact therewith, in combination with means for discharging a column of air across the ath of radiations from said black material.

5. A source of infra redradiations comprising a receptacle composed of an amorphous compound of boron and silica, and containing a heating element therewithin, the outer surface of said'receptacle having a blhack material in molecular contact therewit 6. A source of infra red radiations, comprising a receptacle composed of an amorphous compound of boron and silica, and' containing therewithin a heating element, the outer surface of said rece tacle having a coating of deflocculated grapliite in molecular contact therewith.

7. An apparatus for therapeutic applications, comprising in combination, a receptacle composed of an amorphous compound of boron and silica, and containing a high resistance wire connected in an electrical circuit, the outer surface of said rece tacle being in molecular contact with a lack material, and means for dischargin a column of air across the path of re iations from said material.

8. An apparatus for therapeutic applications, comprising a receptacle comprising a tubing composed of an amorphous compound of boron and silica, arranged in the form of a spiral, and containin a high resistance wire connected in an e ectrical circuit, the outer surface of said tubing having a coating of deflocculated aphite 1n molecular contact therewith. su stantially as described.

Si ned at New York, in the county of New ork and State of New York, this 12th day of January A. D. 1924.

SAMUEL RUBEN.

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